Holy Spirit, Life and Evangelization:

Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to His apostles. “I will ask the Father and He will give you another Helper who will stay with you forever” (Jn 14: 16). This promise of Jesus was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost with the descent of the Holy Spirit the Church was inaugurated. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, St. Peter and other disciples went around the whole world and preached the Gospel. The Church has been guided by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our Guide and Counselor. Through baptism, we are reborn in the Holy Spirit and through confirmation we are confirmed in the Holy Spirit. We, who are the temple of the Holy Spirit, need to seek the assistance of this counselor in our daily life before doing anything in our life. Our families, parishes, communities and diocese are to always be guided by the Holy Spirit, exercising the gifts and fruits of this Spirit.
Holy Spirit is the source of life. ‘It is the spirit that gives life’ (Jn 6:63). Life is a precious gift and God has a plan through our life. Every human being has to seek and identify God’s plan for his life and practice it through his life. We need to celebrate this gift of life through Christian living. A positive approach and attitude towards life have to be developed and life needs to be respected in all its stages of growth from the womb to the tomb. Besides every Christian should be an advocate of pro-life. We need to respect, preserve and nurture all forms of life around us.
Through baptism we receive the Holy Spirit and become members of the Church and the disciples of Christ. ‘Go throughout the whole world and preach the Gospel to all people’ (Mark 16:15) was the command of Jesus and by this command all the disciples of Jesus are to be evangelizers. ’When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will be filled with power and you will be witnesses for me … and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Witnessing through our life, through our sharing, preaching, etc. we need to give the light of Jesus to others. Our parishes, communities, parish churches and institutions, celebrations, feasts, processions, etc. are to be enhanced means of evangelization. Through our social charitable activities and institutions in each Taluka of our diocese, we are to make sure of Christian presence and proclaim Jesus to others. Realizing our role in this land, we need to support all the evangelization activities directly and indirectly by being the salt and the light of the earth.